Skip to main content
GSSA
The 1820 Settler Correspondence
 as preserved in the National Archives, Kew
 and edited by Sue Mackay

pre 1820 Settler Correspondence before emigration

ALL the 1819 correspondence from CO48/41 through CO48/46 has been transcribed whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape. Those written by people who did become settlers, as listed in "The Settler Handbook" by M.D. Nash (Chameleon Press 1987), are labelled 1820 Settler and the names of actual settlers in the text appear in red.

SMITH, William (2)

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 750

Rainbow Coffee House

Cornhill

July 23rd 1819

[To Lord SIDMOUTH]

My Lord,

A respectable body of persons consisting of mechanics, distress'd manufacturers, clerks &c &c amongst which is a graduated clergyman of the established church, take the liberty of addressing your Lordship to solicit the favour of being made better acquainted with the conditions on which from 50 to 100 different families or persons will be enabled to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, the circular in the Gazette not being considered sufficiently explicit for our future guidance. It is right also that your Lordship should know that the persons above mentioned are all of them of good character, principles and industrious habits, but having experienced from time to time considerable disappointments & losses in business &c are still anxious if possible to retrieve their losses and maintain their respectability in life.

I am your Lordship's most obedient humble servant

William SMITH

  • Hits: 5371